Technology for enablement

Creating a better place by using accessible mobile Devices

By Dinesh KaushalProduct Designer

Why am I hear

• Technology can restore lost dignity of persons with disabilities

• Diversity together – technical professionals, ministry, persons with disabilities can lead to a universal design

• Impact of Accessible technology

Exploring road blocks, and strategy to Over-come

• Hearing• Visual• Speech• dexterity• Literacy• Cognitive• Mobility

Road blocks - hearing Impairment

• How to interact with peers• communicate with emergency services• Communicate with customer care

Device Solutions• Visual or vibrating alerts• Adjustable volume control • call logs• Visual or tactile indicators for the keypad• visual display of text • Messaging options• Mono Audio• Video conferencing• Captioning

Over-coming roadblocks – role of Service Providers

• SMS to Avatar translation for deaf illiterate (Tunisia)

• One on one video for sign language communications

• Relay services• Tailor made plans for the deaf

Roadblocks - blindness

• Reading / writing in print

• Independent mobility

• Social interaction`

Some solutions

• Tactile markers • Audible or tactile feedback • Audible cues • Basic text-to-speech• Scanner and OCR

Low Vision

• Adjustable font sizes • Adjustable brightness/contrast for display• Changeable size for main display • Backlit display • Screen magnifiers

Roadblocks - Speech Impairment

• Communicate your thoughts

Speech• Text Messaging/SMS • Email • Instant Messaging • Multi-media Messaging • Predictive Text • Re-use of personalized SMS messages• Video one on one for sign language

Roadblocks-Upper limb Impairment

• How to hold and operate mobile devices

DexterityDexterity• Ability to use the phone in 'hands-free' mode • Predictive text input• Voice recognition• Voice activated answering with a speakerphone• Auto Text• Any key answer• Lock modifier keys

Dexterity ContinuedDexterity Continued• Candy bar design • Flat back on the phone • Ergonomic grips and skid-free casing for

improved stability• Optional accessories • wireless headsets

CognitionCognition• Simple Menus and instructions• Ability to associate photos with telephone

numbers• Pictorial interface • Emergency contact• Pre-recorded voice commands for popular

functions • Predictive Help menus

Cognition ContinuedCognition Continued• Providing enough time for people to enter

the required information• Predictive Texting• Speech recognition• Text-to-speech• Built-in calculator and schedule reminders: • Larger display screens and formatting

options

Roadblocks – IlliteracyRoadblocks – Illiteracy

• Reading / Writing print material

IlliteracyIlliteracy• Intuitive UI• associate photos with telephone numbers• Audio-based interface• Voice recognition • SMS to Avatar translation for the hearing

impaired illiterate (Tunisia)

Innovative Applications• Celedu

Digital LibrariesDigital Libraries• Bookshare• Bibulio-net in Japan • Access to a network of talking books

(12,395 titles as of March 2009)• Proposed solution for India

Relay services• Relay services are usually human operated

services for media and mode translation during phone conversations.

• Provision of such services well integrated in the phone system is an important backbone capability for accessible phone services.

• Relay services are usually provided as community supported services in some way, because the operation of them require much more human resources than regular person to person calls.

Types of Relay services• Video relay services, translating between sign language in video

and speech in a voice phone.• Text relay services, translating between real-time text in the text part

of a phone and speech in a voice phone, usually for people with speech impairments, hearing impairments, deafness or deafblindness.

• Speech-to-Speech relay service, supporting speech calls for people with speech impairments or cognitive disabilities.

• Captioned speech relay services (Captioned Telephony), adding real-time text captions to a voice call, for people with hearing impairments or deafness.

• In all these cases, the other media (voice, video, text) may be handled as well in the call, ideally connected in two or three party call mode between the parties in the call who have terminals that can handle these media.

Prerequisites for the Integration Prerequisites for the Integration of Relay Servicesof Relay Services

• Calls to a number for a person with disabilities should be able to invoke a relay service selected by the user if the user so decides.

• Call from a person with disabilities to another number should be able to invoke a relay service selected by the user if the user so decides.

• Calls between two users who can and want to use the same modes and media in the call should be possible without invoking any relay service.

• Relay services should work with all commonly used handsets and terminals.

• Users need to be able to use the same terminal for calls directly in modes they handle, as is used for calls through relay services and with emergency services.

Emergency and customer care Emergency and customer care servicesservices

• Telecom regulatory authority needs to set standards for emergency services to be implemented by operators and public services

• call emergency services• use a common regional emergency number and • have an efficient emergency call that rapidly results in a suitable

action. • use the same conversational terminal for the emergency call that

they use for everyday calls• communicate in the modes and media they use in everyday calls.• get calls back from emergency services in the same media and

modes.• get relay services included in the call if the user wants or needs to

have such services in the emergency call.

NTT DoCoMo Case StudyNTT DoCoMo Case Study• Applying Three Tenets of Universal Design:• User centered: Recognizing the range of different

capabilities and skills, past experiences, wants and opinions within the population

• Population aware:  Understanding the quantitative population statistics is vital to inform design decisions

• Business focused: Achieving profitability in the commercial context and sustainability in the public context

The Raku Raku StoryThe Raku Raku Story• NTT DoCoMo Market Situation in 2001• Overall penetration of cell phones in Japan:

82.6%• NTT DoCoMo market share: 51%• Opportunity: rate of utilization decreases

significantly with age (90+% aged 20 to 50; less than 30% above 70)

• Decision to tackle issue across organization, products and services

• Adoption of Universal Design principles• Cell phone handsets, stores & services

Example of “Raku Raku”Example of “Raku Raku”• A large screen with large characters• Dedicated buttons to call certain pre-recorded

numbers automatically• “Read aloud” menus and text• Voice input text messages and email• Access to a network of talking books (Bibulio-

net, 12,395 titles as of March 2009) with an integrated DAISY player

• An optional bone conductor receiver to transmit sound waves directly from bone to nerve

5 UD Principles for Cell Phone by docomo

• Easy access to information

• Product lineup with good design at reasonable price

• Features responsible to individual needs

• Understandable and usable user interface

• Consistent user interface to keep away miss-operations.

User Centered Design Principles

• Design for the users and their tasks• Be consistent• Use simple and natural dialogue• Reduce unnecessary mental effort by the

user• Provide adequate feedback

User Centered Design Principles Continued

• Provide adequate navigation mechanisms• Let the user drive• Present information clearly• Be helpful• Reduce errors

Organization’s Strategy and Accessibility

• Commitment from top• Time pressures• Budget cuts• Shareholder value• Long term vs short term gains

Acknowledgements• This presentation is based on information from

• G3ict: The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs - http://g3ict.com

• Centre for Internet and Society - http://www.cis-india.org

• User Centered Design principles are from - http://www.usabilitynet.org/management/b_design.htm